Machine for laying drain-tile



(No Model.)

H. F. PISK.

MACHINE POR'LAYING DRAIN TILE.

Patented Sept. 13, 1887 UNITED STATES PATENT Orrica.

HARVEY F. FISK, OF PELLA, IOWVA.

MACHINE FOR LAYING DRAlN TlLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,783, dated Septem r 13, 1887.

ApplicatiOn filed December 20, 1886. Serial No. 222,118. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARVEY F. FIsK, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Pella, in the county of Marion and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Laying Drain-Tile, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of machines in which a mole or metallic cone (slightly larger than the tile to be laid and rigidly attached to the lower end of a colter or knife) is forced or drawn through the soil at the required depth by power imparted from a capstan or otherwise, and having attached to the base or rear end of said cone or mole a carrier consisting of a long strap, chain, or other device upon which the tile are laid end to end and upon which they are carried for- Ward into the opening in the soil made by the mole as the same is drawn forward as the mole-plow is advanced. It is obvious in this class of machines that when the entire length of the carrier is thus drawn into the ground it is only necessary to dig down from the surface to the forward end of the carrier and insert a spade transversely in front of the foremost tile on the carrier to stop the further movement of the tile, ,while the carrier will continue to move forward with the mole, as before, to allow more pieces of the tile to be placed in the proper position upon it as it is drawn forward into the soil, as before.

My invention relates exclusively to the carrier, upon which the tile are placed and drawn into position under ground; and the object of my improvement is to provide a carrier sufficiently flexible to readily adapt itself to any desired lateral curves to be made in a drain without displacing the tile or damaging the carrier; also, to reduce the friction upon the bottom of the drain caused by the weight of the tile and to obviate the tendency of the carrier to cut or wear into the bottom of the opening made by the mole in spongy or sandy soil, and also to provide a carrier with a concave inner surface fitting closely to the tile, so as to hold the same in position, and a convex under surface adapting itself to the opening made by the mole.

I accomplish the results contemplated by constructing a carrier of rectangular concave overlapping plates of sheet-iron or other metal pivoted at the center to a metallic continuous strap, as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is abottom view of asection of the carrier, showing the manner of connecting the plates. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing guards on the upper andconcave side that serve the double purpose of holding the tile firmly and preventing the friction of the ends of the plates against the under surface of the tile when the carrier is withdrawn from under the tile laid in place. Fig. 3 is a View illustrating the application and operation of my invention.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

It will observed that the metallic strap A is attached at its forward end to the heel of the mole and is of the length desired for the carrier. series of rectangular metallic plates B are pivoted at their centers, so that the rear end of any plate overlaps the front end of the plate immediately following. These plates are curved so as to form a continuous spout with its concave surface upward. These plates are also attached together near their lateral edges by bolts or rivets that move freely in coinciding longitudinal slots cut through the overlapping plates B. Short elastic straps or guards O are riveted firmly to the said plates at points on their upper surface immediately in front of the longitudinal slots referred to, to project backward to cover said slots and the heads of the rivets passing through the slots. By this system of construction it will be seen that the tiles rest upon the metallic straps or guards O, and that each plate practicall-y overlaps the one immediately following on both its upper and under surface, like the scales of a fish or serpent, so that the friction upon either surface is reduced to the minimum. It will also be seen that by the use of the longitudinal slots in riveting the plates, where the same overlap, the carrier is made sufficiently flexible to accommodate itself to any curve likely to be desirable or practical in the drain.

Should greater lateral flexibility be desired, it can be easily attained by substitutinga chain To the under side of the strap A the for the metallic strap A; but the inventor has demonstrated by actual and heavy use in the field, that the carrier constructed substantially as shown, with the metallic strap, is fully capable of adapting itself to the highest curves desirable in a tile-drain.

The forward end of the metallic strap is provided with a hook or other device for coupling it to the heel of the mole. The plates are curved into a spout form having the concave surface uppermost to fit the tile. The same carrier thus constructed, by reason of the flexibility of the material and the method of construction, can be used for several different sizes of tile.

I claim 1. A series of metallic plates, B, having fixed guards O, in combination with a metal strap, A, substantially as shown and described.

2. A flexible tile-carrier composed of a series of overlapping plates, 13, having coinciding slots at their overlapping corners, and Sliding studs, bolts, or rivets in said slots, the fixed guards O, and a metal strap, A, to operate in the manner set forth, for the purposes 25 stated.

- HARVEY F. FISK.

\Vitnesses:

HENRY N OLLEN, HENRY M. FIsK. 

